49. Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Forty-Nine
Kya
O darum worked me into the ground for two days straight.
But I could see the results from the past few weeks of near constant training.
I was getting stronger and stronger every day, with my magic and my wings.
I could disappear from sight without a second thought, and I was able to get airborne so long as I had a running start. And now, I could combine them.
As I took my final run for the day, I honed my invisibility, thrusting my wings out and taking to the sky. I climbed higher and higher in the air, feeling the crisp breeze across my wings.
No view could compare to what I saw. The mountains, the world , were beneath me.
I looked over my shoulder when I heard a whinny, just in time to see Odarum soaring past. Right as he was beside me, I became visible again. He jolted and flapped his wings back with a roar. I threw my head back and laughed.
Odarum chuckled. “Well done Kya. You have improved greatly.”
“Does this mean I get the afternoon off? It’s Nailu tonight.” We banked to turn back toward the palace.
“Yes.”
“Are you coming? Do Spirits even celebrate Nailu?” I tilted my head slightly.
“In our own way. It is the night of mating,” he said.
I tried not to grimace at the mental image.
I closed my eyes, feeling the wind against my face and the peace and freedom of being in the air.
“Kya?” Odarum said after a few moments.
“Hmm?” I kept my eyes closed. I loved this feeling.
“You should pay more attention.”
My eyes shot open, in fear that I was about to fly straight into a mountainside, but there was nothing but the skies before me.
The next second, I was being pulled upward and spinning.
Odarum’s deep laugh sounded in my head—I had never heard him laugh before—as a scream ripped from my chest and turned into a thrilled squeal.
My shadow .
Ryker had come from beneath me and was holding me against him with the biggest smile on his face.
“Shift your wings away, little gem,” he whispered against my ear.
When I did, Ryker readjusted his hold of me so that my legs were wrapped around his shirtless waist and my arms around his neck, tangling my fingers in the hair on the back of his head.
The feel of his bare skin beneath me made the bond thrum.
I looked back down to where Odarum was, just in time to see him Travel away.
Ryker began to slowly descend, beating his wings just enough to keep us from dropping too quickly.
I lightly smacked Ryker on the shoulder. “You scared the shit out of me.” I was grinning widely.
“I’ve hardly seen you for the past couple of days. When I saw you appear out of thin air in the sky, you were absolutely breathtaking, and I couldn’t stand to be apart from you for another moment.” His arms tightened around me.
My stomach fluttered, and I grazed my nose along his. “I’m glad. ”
His chest rumbled a sigh as he rested his forehead against mine and closed his eyes briefly before staring right into mine, into my soul—just as I could see into his.
I was wrong. There was one view that could compare.
“Hold on tight,” he said with a wicked smile.
I squeezed him with every bit of my strength. He folded his wings and angled us down as we dove through the air, eliciting another screaming laugh from me at the sudden drop. The wind roared in my ears as it rushed past but it was thrilling.
He landed us smoothly on the roof of the palace and set me on my feet. He bent down and kissed me on my forehead. Gods I was so ready to feel those lips against mine. As much as I loved his tender kisses, I wanted to taste him. I wanted him to ravish me.
“I saw that Lorotte came by late last night. Are you happy with the dress?” he asked, grabbing up his shirt from the floor and slipping it back on after shifting away his wings.
“I am. It’s beautiful. Have you seen it?” I laced my fingers through his as we made our way down the steps to the balcony.
“No. Lorotte would beat me if I looked,” he breathed a laugh.
“Good. I want to see the look on your face when you see it on me first, rather than hanging up.” He held the door open for me as I walked through, still holding my hand.
“Kya, please remember that I’m not yet a fully mated male.”
“Are you worried that you’ll lose control when you see me or when others do?” I smirked at him playfully. I felt the bond tense.
In the blink of an eye, he had me against the wall, the stone was cold through the wing slits in my shirt. He grabbed my ass and pushed me up the wall, my legs instinctively wrapping around him as he pressed his body against mine and my breath caught.
“Don’t tempt me, little gem,” he growled. He released my hand and grabbed my hair in his fist, tilting my head to the side and roughly kissing my throat. “Say it.”
“I belong to you,” I breathed. “I always have. I always will.”
He sighed and rested his head on my shoulder. “I belong to you,” he whispered. That swirling tether between us relaxed, contented.
For the time being.
I kissed the top of his head, then he set me down. “I’m going to start getting ready with Mal. I’ll be in her room so don’t come down there. I’ll meet you at the celebration.”
With that, I darted through the corridor, down the stairs and to Malina’s room where she was already bathed and waiting. I quickly bathed and noticed that it was nearing dusk. I had just wrapped a towel around me when I heard a knock on the door to Malina’s room.
“Yes?” she called.
“Lord Ryker asked for this to be delivered for the two of you.” A male voice that I vaguely recognized.
Malina looked at me and I shrugged. I hid myself behind the door when she opened it and thanked the male before closing it again. She held a platter of delicious fresh pastries.
“Being Lady of Oryn has its perks!” she exclaimed, setting the tray on the desk by the window. She didn’t wait before picking one up and stuffing her face.
“I’m not a Lady.” I rolled my eyes and picked one up too.
“Fine. If he keeps this up, I’ll gladly be his Lady,” she said with a mouthful.
My eyes cut to her and I snarled. “Fuck off, Mal. I’m already on edge as it is.”
She ignored me and continued to eat.
When we were both finished, we did our hair, hers up on her head and mine half up on one side, then changed into our outfits.
My mouth fell open. “Damn, you look like sex with legs.”
Lorotte had said that she would provide us with the custom attire for Oryn, but I had never imagined that it would be so beautiful.
Malina’s burgundy skirt was thin with a slit going all the way up to her hip, exposing her entire leg.
Her top was of the same fabric. The straps were narrow over her shoulders, and it came to just below her breasts, leaving her midriff bare.
She spun around, the bottom of the skirt swirling around her slippered feet. “I know! And look at you!” She bounced over on her toes and led me by the shoulders in front of the mirror. “You look like the future Lady of Oryn.”
I smiled and slowly spun to get a good look.
The style was the same as Malina’s with small differences.
My straps wrapped around my neck and the fabric was beaded with small jewels at the hem of the top, underneath my breasts, as well as the waistband of the skirt.
And Lorotte was right. The color was perfect. It really did match the eyes.
“Oh, one last thing,” Mal said, reaching into a drawer and pulling something out. She walked back over and stood behind me. “Close your eyes.” I did as she said. She messed with my hair for a few moments. “Open.”
Tears pricked the back of my eyes and my chest tightened.
Malina had braided a feather into my hair.
A custom for those of Atara. It was subtle enough that no one would likely notice since I didn’t have the paint across my eyes and temples.
People would probably just think it was in honor of Odarum.
“And now you look like a Lady of Atara too,” she whispered.
A tear slipped down my cheek. I saw hints of my mother in my reflection. The feather was a symbol that she always donned.
“I miss them,” I said.
“I miss them too. But let’s honor them tonight. ”
I nodded my head. “In that case.” I manifested my wings. The design of the top allowed for them without tearing the fabric, and I wondered if that was intentional. I plucked a single feather, before shifting my wings away. “You’ll need one too.”
She turned around and allowed me to braid it into her hair.
The last daughters of Atara.
The air dome in the valley outside the city was held by air wielders and warmed with fire manipulation.
For which I was grateful. The lack of coverage on my body did little to warm me on this first winter’s night.
The sky was lit with the mass amounts of stars now visible without the moons to outshine them, but nothing else outside of that. Every light in the city was out.
It was my favorite night of the year, as all the realms and stars shined down on me.
Malina and I walked through the near silent city to the northern end of the valley. And when we made it inside the dome, it was like another place entirely.
People were everywhere, nearly all of Voara was there.
The females were wearing skirts and tops, just like we were, or dresses.
The males wore loose pants and tunics, most cut down to expose the chest, or just button up shirts that were left open.
Some had no shirts at all, and Malina wasn’t the least bit disappointed about it.